“It is what it is,” James told USA Today. “I think the committee, I think they did a great job honestly. Obviously I’m a huge Buckeye fan and we would’ve loved to be in the final four, to be able to compete for a national championship, but there’s never been a two-loss team in the final four, and if you look at the top four teams that made the final four, can you really argue? So we look forward to playing in the Rose Bowl vs. USC.”

That’s an informed take from the four-time NBA MVP, except for the fact that the Rose Bowl will play host to Georgia and Oklahoma in the College Football Playoff on New Year’s Day. Ohio State plays USC in the Cotton Bowl on Dec. 29. While the Big Ten has been represented each of the past three years — twice by the Buckeyes — the playoff has indeed never featured a two-loss team.

James played wide receiver until his junior year at St. Vincent-St. Mary’s High, capturing All-State honors and receiving scholarship offers from a number of Division I programs. He instead declared for the NBA draft, was selected first overall in 2003 and became one of the greatest basketball players ever. Had he gone to college, though, James claims he would have attended Ohio State.